Chelmer QLD 4068
Located in Queensland, Chelmer sits 9 km from Brisbane CBD, around 18 minutes by car. The suburb has 3,325 residents, a median age of 41, and a median household income of $176,904 per year. By household income, education, and employment patterns, it ranks in the top 20% nationally. The suburb grew 10.9% between 2016 and 2021. At the 2021 Census, households here paid a median rent of $490 per week and a median monthly mortgage of $3,000. Chelmer is characterised by no recorded bushfire exposure. 1 school sits within the suburb boundary, and walkability is moderate.
Is Chelmer a good suburb?
Chelmer scores a A+ (89/100) on SuburbScan's Liveability grade — strong on transit, safety, and community.
Mixed results
1 school
Walkable and central
Walkability 61/100 · 8.9 km · 18 min drive to Brisbane
Median available
Median $1.75M
Low all-round risk
Fire 0/100 · Crime 30/100
Very advantaged
SEIFA decile 10/10 · median age 41 · 3,325 residents
Liveability Rating
89 / 100 · Ranked #6 in QLDEach bar is Chelmer's rank among QLD suburbs, from 0 to 100 (higher is better). Scored on 4 of 5 factors: no school data, so the other factors carry its weight.
How do you rate the liveability in Chelmer?
Local knowledge beats any dataset. Rate it and see what other residents think.
Our score
89 / 100
From schools, safety and socio-economic data — not opinion.
Residents say
…
Median House Price
Public listings dataChelmer's house market is moving lower: the median sale price reached $1.75 million, about 3% below where it sat a year earlier.
Houses
$1,745,000
9% below its 3 neighbours (median $1,910,000)
Based on 100 recorded sales in the last 24 months.
Typically sold in 31 days — median across 57 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 3 bed 33 sales $1.28M
- 4 bed 31 sales $2.23M
- 5 bed 23 sales $2.2M
Units
$635,000
Based on only 9 sales — small sample, take as indicative.
Typically sold in 20 days — median across 4 sales that recorded a listing period
By bedrooms
- 2 bed 7 sales $585K
Rental Market
Advertised rents · last 6 monthsHouses in Chelmer rent for around $1,572 a week on average, based on 8 houses listed for rent in the past six months.
Houses
$1,572/wk
8 houses advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
Units
$585/wk
4 units advertised for rent in the last 6 months.
12 rentals advertised against an estimated 170 rented homes (7.1%) in the last 6 months.
Rent agreed on new leases
Jul–Sep 2026- All rentals
- $880/wk
- 18 bonds
- +66% since 2021
Median weekly rent on bonds lodged for new tenancies. Change since 2021 compares the median of the first four quarters with the last four. Asking rents above come from advertised listings.
Rental affordability
June quarter 202593 Unaffordable · the average rental household in this region would pay about 32% of its income on the median rent in postcode 4068.
SGS Rental Affordability Index: a score of 100 means rent takes 30% of income, the usual housing-stress line; lower scores are less affordable. "Region" is the capital city or the rest of the state.
Short-Stay Rentals
8 active Airbnb listings: 7 whole homes and 1 room. Whole homes are about 0.6% of the suburb's homes.
Airbnb only, as at Jun 2026; other platforms are not included. Active means reviewed in the past 12 months. The share is against private dwellings at the 2021 Census.
Is Chelmer safe? Crime statistics
2025Crime in Chelmer sits in the low band, with 7 incidents recorded in 2025.
7 offences
no change since 2024Crime Trend
Serious Road Crashes
2020–202413 crashes
where someone was killed or admitted to hospital
Crashes are counted where they happened, so a main road through the suburb carries people passing through; this is not a measure of risk to residents. Roads are listed with 3 or more serious crashes.
Schools
One school serves Chelmer, but none have published comparable ratings yet.
- • 333 students in one school (avg 333)
Secondary
Universities nearby
- 3.3 kmSt Lucia CampusThe University of Queensland · 350 courses
- 5.8 kmBrisbane CityGriffith University · 115 courses
- 6.9 kmBrisbane C.Q.U. CampusCentral Queensland University · 57 courses
4.7% of residents here are full-time university students aged 15–24.
Distance is measured to the suburb centre. A campus nearby does not by itself mean a student rental market — most suburbs within a few kilometres of one have a student share close to the national norm, and the figure above is what tells them apart.
Walkability
Chelmer is somewhat walkable on foot — at 61/100, a short cluster of errands work on foot but most trips still benefit from a car.
Public transport
Weekday and weekend service frequency across every stop inside Chelmer.
- Peak (7-9am + 5-7pm)
- 23.8 arrivals/hr
- Off-peak weekday
- 18.2 arrivals/hr
- Saturday
- 14.9 arrivals/hr
- Median peak wait
- 2 min
- Span of service
- 19.3 hours
- Direct to CBD (peak)
- 15 min wait
Scheduled service only, based on the 21 October 2026 timetable. Reliability (delays, cancellations) not measured.
NBN connectivity
The internet access technology available across NBN premises in Chelmer.
- Full-fibre (FTTP) share
- 0%
- Premises covered
- 1,178
NBN Co fixed-line and fixed-wireless premises, as at 30 December 2025. Higher-quality technologies (full fibre) score above copper, wireless, and satellite. Actual speeds depend on your plan.
Amenities
Brisbane: council population
The three add up to the change above. These are council-wide figures from the ABS, not figures for this suburb alone — this suburb's own population is in the census section above.
Socio-economic profile
The ABS scores 8 small areas inside this suburb and averages them into the single decile above. They fall into 2 different deciles — a narrow range, so the average describes the suburb closely.
Chelmer is home to about 3,300 residents, with a median age of 41, broadly in line with the national figure. Median household income runs at $177,000 a year, with unemployment at 3.8%.
2021 Census · change since 2016
Population
3,325
Median Age
41
Median Household Income
$176,904/yr
Census Median Rent
$490/wk
Census Median Mortgage
$3,000/mo
Avg Household Size
3.0
Median Personal Income
$66,664/yr
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Unoccupied Dwellings
5.7%
Total Dwellings
1,038
Owner-Occupier Rate
83.6%
Houses
94.5%
Rental Stress
14.4%
Mortgage Stress
20.4%
Work From Home
38.8%
Dwelling Types
Property Ownership
Demographics
- Born in Australia
- 72.8%
- English Spoken at Home
- 83.3%
- Employment Rate
- 62.8%
- Completed Year 12
- 62.0%
Occupations
Religion
Country of Birth (overseas)
Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents.
When They Arrived
Share of all residents by the year they arrived in Australia. Periods cover different numbers of years, so compare the shape rather than the bar widths.
162 residents (4.9%) arrived since 2016. Australia’s borders were closed to most arrivals from March 2020, so the last two years of that period are much smaller than the ones before them — nationally 260,799 people arrived in 2019 against 28,521 in 2021.
Where New Residents Came From
Where residents aged five and over lived five years before the 2021 Census, for those who lived somewhere else.
Top places newcomers came from, as a share of the 3,161 residents aged five and over. Areas are ABS statistical regions. Small counts are approximate: the ABS adjusts every figure slightly to protect privacy.
Languages Spoken at Home
Top languages other than English, as a share of all residents.
Age Distribution
Family & Household Composition
Commute to Work
30% of employed residents work in a capital's city centre (492 of 1,628).
City centre: the ABS area around each capital's CBD, such as Sydney Inner City or Perth City (which takes in Subiaco and Leederville). 2021 Census place of work.
Education
Cars per Dwelling
Council Rates
Households face an average residential rates bill of $1,519 a year through Brisbane based on 2025 figures.
Building Approvals: Brisbane
In the year to August 2026, 9,382 new dwellings were approved across Brisbane. That mix is 2,948 houses and 6,434 units. Approvals are up 9.0% on the same period a year earlier.
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage
Two native title parties cover this area: Jagera People #2 and Turrbal People.
Under Queensland's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 the Aboriginal party for an area follows native title. No native title claim is currently registered here, so the last registered claimant remains the Aboriginal party.
Air Quality
MODERATEPM2.5 averaged 6.5 µg/m³ in 2025 — below Australia's NEPM annual standard (8 µg/m³), slightly above the stricter WHO guideline (5 µg/m³).
PM10 averaged 17.3 µg/m³ · NO₂ averaged 0.99 pphm. Days over the limit in 2025: PM10 1 · NO₂ 0 · ozone 0.
From the Rocklea (South East Queensland) monitoring station, 4.8 km away.
Climate & Setting
from Archerfield Airport, 7.2 kmHigh rainfall — warm summers, mild winters.
- Elevation
- 12 m
- above sea level, at the suburb centre
- Distance to the ocean
- 17.1 km
- Annual rainfall
- 1,032 mm
- 84 rainy days
- Summer max (Jan)
- 30.5°C
- 6 days ≥ 35°C
- Winter min (Jul)
- 8.9°C
- 0 frost days ≤ 0°C
Elevation is the ground at the suburb centre, from Geoscience Australia's National Digital Elevation Model. Approximate — it reads high in dense built-up areas. It is a measure of height above sea level and not an indicator of flood risk, which depends on height above nearby waterways.
Industrial Emissions Nearby
7 facilities within 5 km- 2.7 kmUrban Bus Transport (Including Tramway)Top reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 3.0 kmRail Freight TransportTop reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers) · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene)
- 3.2 kmVeneer and Plywood ManufacturingTop reported: Oxides of Nitrogen · Particulate Matter ≤10.0 µm (PM10) · Particulate Matter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5)
- 3.7 kmUrban Bus Transport (Including Tramway)Top reported: Total Volatile Organic Compounds · Cumene (1-methylethylbenzene) · Xylenes (individual or mixed isomers)
- 3.9 kmSewerage and Drainage ServicesTop reported: Total Phosphorus · Total Nitrogen · Acetic acid (ethanoic acid)
EV adoption
In postcode 4068, 577 of 16,854 registered light vehicles are battery-electric on 31 January 2025. A further 5.2% (871 vehicles) are hybrid or plug-in hybrid, taking the non-petrol, non-diesel share to 8.6%.
Rooftop solar
In postcode 4068, 3,191 rooftop-solar systems totalling 24.0 MW have been installed since 2001, against 10,809 dwellings recorded in the 2021 Census. 241 went up in the last year.
Counts every system certified since 2001, so a roof re-fitted with a newer system is counted twice, and small commercial systems are included alongside houses — useful for comparing postcodes, not an estimate of how many homes have working panels today.
2026 covers part of the year only, to 2026-07.
First Home Owner Grant
FY2026-27$30,000 for new homes priced up to $750,000.
$30,000 for contracts signed on or after 20 November 2023, with no end date. IT DID NOT REVERT TO $15,000: the tier was due to end 30 June 2026 and the 2026-27 Queensland Budget (23 June 2026) continued it for contracts signed from 1 July 2026. This file carried a "due to revert" note until 2026-09-18 — it was never true, and a note predicting a change is not the same as a change. Cap is "less than $750,000" including land and contract variations — less than, not up to. New homes only: "There are no home owner grants for established homes."
Mortgage repayments
4 mortgage brokers are registered in this suburb, 25 across postcode 4068.
Transfer duty at the owner-occupier rate, and it excludes first home buyer concessions — those can cut it substantially or remove it entirely. Excludes legal, inspection and lender fees. Check with Queensland Revenue Office
The First Home Owner Grant applies to newly built homes only, so it isn't available on an established purchase. A first home buyer building or buying new under $750,000 may qualify for $30,000 — see what qualifies with Queensland Revenue Office.
At $1,745,000 this is $995,000 above the $750,000 First Home Owner Grant cap. A first home buyer may qualify for $30,000 on a newly built home — check eligibility with Queensland Revenue Office.
A deposit under 20% usually attracts Lenders Mortgage Insurance, which this doesn't include.
Principal and interest over 30 years, fixed rate. Excludes fees, offset, redraw and LMI. Default rate is the median comparison rate across 1788 advertised products as at 2026-10-26 — indicative only, and not an offer. Your rate depends on the lender, your deposit and your circumstances. Not financial advice.
Federal Electorate
Currently held by Julie-Ann Campbell Australian Labor Party
| Year | Winner | 2PP ALP | 2PP LNP | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Julie-Ann Campbell | 66.1% | 33.9% | +7.0 |
| 2022 | Graham Perrett | 59.1% | 40.9% | -7.2 |
| 2019 | Graham Perrett | 51.9% | 48.1% | +2.1 |
Results are per division — federal electoral boundaries are redrawn periodically, so the history reflects this division's past, not necessarily the exact suburb's voters across time.
State Electorate
Currently held by Mark Bailey Australian Labor Party (State of Queensland)
Next state election: 28 October 2028.
| Year | Winner | Won with |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mark Bailey ALP | 60.6% |
| 2020 | Mark Bailey ALP | 63.8% |
Results are per district. Districts were last redrawn in 2017, so results from before then describe the district of that name, not necessarily this suburb's voters. Results: Electoral Commission of Queensland.
Looking at a specific address in Chelmer?
Every figure above is a suburb average, and an average smooths over the difference between a street of family homes and a block of flats. Look up one address and you get the census for the few hundred people around it, its own nearest schools and stops, and what the state has mapped for that block.
- The census for a few hundred neighbours, not all 3,325 residents
- Nearest and zoned schools, with the walk from that door
- Flood, bushfire and noise mapping, where the state publishes it
Free to look up. Subscribers see every section in full — $29/month.
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Checking the whole city?
Suburbs to avoid in Brisbane There is no list of bad suburbs, but there are hazards the state measures and publishes — recorded crime, bushfire exposure, flood overlays and aircraft noise. Brisbane suburbs ranked on them, with what the numbers do and don't mean.Nearby suburbs
Compare Chelmer to another suburb
Side-by-side stats for any other QLD suburb — type a name and pick one.
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Common questions about Chelmer
Is Chelmer a safe place to live?
Recorded crime in Chelmer is low (30/100, ranked against other QLD suburbs on offences per resident).
What natural hazards affect Chelmer?
Chelmer has no recorded bushfire history. These are suburb-wide figures; check the address, as flood and bushfire exposure change street by street.
Is Chelmer a good place to live?
Chelmer has a SuburbScan Liveability grade of A+ (89/100), ranked against other QLD suburbs on school quality (25%), safety (25%), SEIFA socio-economic advantage (25%), walkability (15%) and CBD access (10%). Whether it suits you depends on what you weigh — each of those is on this page.
What is the population of Chelmer?
Chelmer, QLD had a population of 3,325 at the 2021 Australian Bureau of Statistics census.
What is the postcode for Chelmer, QLD?
The postcode for Chelmer, QLD is 4068.
How far is Chelmer from Brisbane?
Chelmer is 9 km from Brisbane CBD by road, about 18 minutes by car in normal traffic. Distance is the most-direct driving route, not straight-line.
What is the median household income in Chelmer?
At the 2021 ABS Census, median household income in Chelmer was $176,904 a year. It is the most recent suburb-level income figure until 2026 Census results are released in 2027.
What is the median weekly rent in Chelmer?
The median advertised rent in Chelmer is $1,572 a week for houses (8 listings) and $585 a week for units (4 listings), from rental listings over the last six months.
What is the median age in Chelmer?
The median age of residents in Chelmer was 41 at the 2021 ABS Census.
How are the schools in Chelmer?
There is 1 school inside the Chelmer boundary, none of which has enough NAPLAN and ICSEA data for a quality band.
Is Chelmer walkable?
Chelmer scores 61/100 on the SuburbScan Walkability Score, making it somewhat walkable. The score is a weighted average of public transport, schools, parks, supermarkets, GPs, pharmacies, childcare, and hospitals within walking distance.
What is the air quality in Chelmer?
The nearest government air-quality monitoring station to Chelmer (Rocklea (South East Queensland)) recorded a 2025 annual mean PM2.5 of 6.5 µg/m³ and PM10 of 17.3 µg/m³. That puts Chelmer below the Australian NEPM annual standard of 8 µg/m³ but above the stricter WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.
What is the weather like in Chelmer?
At the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station to Chelmer, Archerfield Airport (7.2 km away), summer days average 30.5°C, winter nights 8.9°C, 1,032 mm of rain a year over 84 rainy days, and 6 days a year above 35°C over 2006-2026.
Is the First Home Owner Grant available in Chelmer?
First-home buyers in QLD may be eligible for $30,000 towards new homes with a purchase price up to $750,000. The grant is administered by Queensland Revenue Office; confirm current eligibility before signing a contract — state rules and amounts can change.
What council does Chelmer belong to?
Chelmer sits within the Brisbane local government area. Council rates, planning approvals, and waste collection fall under this LGA.
How much are council rates in Chelmer?
The average residential rates bill through Brisbane is $1,519 a year (2025). Every suburb in this LGA shares the same schedule — individual bills vary with land value.
How much is being built near Chelmer?
Across Brisbane, 9,382 new residential dwellings were approved in the year to August 2026 (source: ABS Building Approvals). That's up 9.0% on the same period a year earlier. These are LGA-level totals — every suburb in the council shares the same figure.
Which federal electorate is Chelmer in?
Chelmer sits within the federal Division of Moreton, currently held by Julie-Ann Campbell (Australian Labor Party).
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Data freshness
- Census · 2021
- Median sale prices · Oct 2026
- For-sale & rental market · Oct 2026
- Council rates · FY 2025–26
- Building approvals · Aug 2026
- Schools · 2025
- Public transport · Oct 2026
- NBN connectivity · Dec 2025
- Crime · 2025
- Road crashes · 2020–2024
- Air quality · 2025
- Climate · 2006–2026
- Socio-economic (SEIFA) · 2021
- EV adoption · Jan 2025
- First Home Owner Grant · Sep 2026
- Federal electorate · 2025
- Short-stay rentals · Jun 2026
- State electorate · 2024
- Amenities · Sep 2026
- Health & emergency facilities · Sep 2026
- Industrial emissions (NPI) · 2024/2025
- Coastal erosion · 1988–2025
- Aircraft noise · 2024
Vintages show when each source's data is from. See all data sources.
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.